Article carrier



May 7, 1968 H. w. FORRER 3,881,816

ARTICLE CARRIER Filed Jan. 24, 1966 HOMER W. FORRER FIG. 2 BY/ 7% @w ATTORNEY Unite ABSTRACT F THE DESCLOSURE An open ended wrap-around type article carrier having a top panel overlying the tops of a plurality oi packaged items and having a pair of sloping shoulder panels foldably joined to the side edges thereof is provided with an end panel at each end which is foldably joined to an end edge ot the top panel along a fold line spaced inwardly from the side edges of the wrapper blank by approximately one-half the diameter of the packaged items. The end panels are foldably interconnected at their end edges with the adjacent ends of the sloping panels by web panels and the corner edges of the end panels adjacent the packaged items are cut away by arcuate conligurations forming continuations of openings formed in the sloping panels for receiving parts of the top of the packaged items. Preierably the top corner of each web panel also is cut away in a manner similar to that by which the adjacent corner of the end panel is cut away. The side edges of a blank from which the carrier is formed thus are substantially straight.

This invention relates to article carriers and more particularly to carriers of the sleeve or Wrap-around type which incorporate end identification and article supporting panels at the ends of the carrier.

In known article carriers of the sleeve type in which end panels are foldably joined to the end edges of the top panel, the end panels may be held in positions of angular relationship to the top center panel by suitable anchoring and web panels or simply by the inherent interrelationship between the end panels and a pair of sloping panels which are foldably joined to the side edges of the top center panel. While the anchoring and web panel arrangement atlords positive holding action whereby the end panel is held in such a position that it may be readily observed from a vantage point adjacent the ends of the carrier, a substantial amount of material is required to form the structure of such a carrier. Where the interrelationship between the ends of the end panel and the adjacent ends of the sloping panels is relied upon to hold the end panel at an angle to the top center panel, it is possible for the end panel to snap back into a condition of coplanar relation with the top center panel and its principal advantages may thus be lost.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved end panel for sleeve type article carriers wherein a minimum of material is required and wherein the end panel is positively held in its normal position of angular relationship to the top center panel by engagement between the end edges of the end panel and the caps of the end articles which are packaged within the wrapper.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an article carrier having an improved end identification panel which not only aids in supporting the packaged articles but which is interrelated therewith in such a way as to be rmly held in a position of angular relationship to the top center panel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved open-ended Wrap-around type carrier having an end identification panel and wherein the side edges of the blank are formed in straight lines with no protruding edge States Patent O ice portions whereby substantial economies are eiected in the use of material.

The invention in one form as applied to an article carrier for packaging a plurality of articles with tapered shoulders and outwardly protruding caps arranged in two rows in side-by-side rectilinear relation comprises a top center panel overlying the caps of the packaged articles, a pair of sloping panels foldably joined to the side edges of the top center panel and disposed adjacent the tapered shoulders of the articles, openings formed in the sloping panels for receiving portions of the caps of the packaged articles respectively and an end panel foldably joined at each end of the top center panel along a old line which is spaced inwardly from an imaginary line drawn tangent to the outer edges of the caps of the end articles and parallel to the outer edge of the end panel, the corners of the end panels adjacent the iold line being cut-away in such a way as to form arcuate continuations of the adjacent ones of said openings respectively, said arcuate continuations at least in part being arranged to underlie the caps of the associated bottles whereby the end panel is positively held in a position of angular relationship to the top center panel and whereby the end panel is arranged to support at least a portion of the Weight of the end artieles, the end panel being arranged angularly with respect to the top center panel so that the mechanical strength thereof is substantial in the required direction for supporting a portion of the weight of the adjacent end articles.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. l is a perspective view of an article carrier constructed according to the invention and in which FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the carrier depicted in FIG. l is formed.

In thedrawings, the numeral l. designates the top center panel in which a pair or linger gripping apertures 2 and 3 are formed. Actually, apertures 2 and 3 may constitute tabs which are foldably joined along fold lines 4 and 5 respectively to the main body of top center panel l.

Foldably joined to the side edges of top center panel l are the sloping panels 6 and 7. Sloping panel 6 is foldably joined to top center panel l along fold line S while sloping panel 7 is foldably joined to top center panel 1 along fold line 9.

For receiving a portion of each cap of each packaged item, a plurality of openings it?, ll and 12 are formed in the sloping panel e and similar openings i3, 14 and l5 are formed in slopiniY panel 7. As is well known, the openings itl-i5 deiine extensions along the edges of top center panel i which extensions overlie the caps of the packaged bottles respectively.

Side panel 16 is foldably joined to the lower edge of sloping panel 6 along fold line 17 while a similar side panel i8 is foldably joined to the lower edge of sloping panel 7 along fold line 19.

Bottom sloping panel 20 is foldably joined along fold line 21 to the bottom edge of side wall l5 and is provided with a plurality of apertures 22, 23 and 24. Similarly, sloping panel 25 is foldably poined to the bottom edge of side wall 18 along fold line 26 and a plurality of openings 27, 2S and 29 are formed in the sloping panel 25. Openings 22-24 and 2'7-26 receive the lower portions of the packaged articles B in a manner well known in the art.

The bottom panel of the carrier is a composite panel and comprises a first lap panel 3Q foldably joined to sloping panel 2i) along fold line 3l and a second lap panel 32. foldably joined to sloping panel Z5 along fold line 33.

In order to draw the wrapper tightly about the group of primary packages B, suitable machine elements are provided and enter tightening apertures 34 and 35 formed in lap panel 30 and similar cooperating machine elements enter tightening apertures 36 and 37 formed in lap panel 32. These tightening elements move inwardly toward each other and underneath the package and tighten the Wrapper securely about the primary packages B. Once tightened, these panels 3d and 32 are secured together by locking tabs 38-41 which are driven through the openings dened by retaining tabs 4.2*45 respectively. In this manner the wrapper ends are secured together.

The articles in one row are separated at the bottom from the articles in the other row by a medial panel 46 foldably joined to lap panel 30 along fold line 47.

In accordance with this invention, the end panels 43 and 49 are arranged so that their outer edges S0 and 51 are in alignment with the end edges of the remainder of the blank and in this way economy of material is effected. Furthermore, in accordance with this invention the fold lines S2 and 53 by which the end panels 48 and 49 are foldably joined to the end edges of the top center panel 1 are spaced inwardly of an imaginary -line for example such as is designated at 5d and which is drawn tangent to the outer edges of the caps of the articles adjacent end panel 49 by the distance designated X in FIG. 2. By this means the width or height of the end panel is increased to accommodate the alignment of the edges 50, 51. with the end edges of the panels 6, 7, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30 and 32. In addition, the corners designated at S5 and 56 of end panel 49 are cut-away to form arcuate continuations of the openings 10 and 13 respectively. By this means the corners 55 and 56 of end panel 49 are arranged to underlie the caps of the adjacent articles and hence the panel 49 is positively held in a position of angular relationship to the top center panel and panel 49 is caused to assume a portion of the weight of the end articles.

In like fashion, the corners 57 and 58 of end panel 48 are similarly formed and afforded the same advantages described in connection with end panel 49.

Since the end panels 48 and 49 are angularly disposed with respect to the top center panel 1, the strength of the end panels is substantial in a vertical or Weight supporting direction. Thus, according to a feature of the invention, substantial strength is imparted to the carrier, i.e. when the carrier is picked up by manually grasping the apertures 2 and 3, the end articles B are in part lifted by the end panels 4S and 49 and by the sloping panels 6 and 7 as well as by the web panels 5962 which are oldably joined at the ends of the end panel. For

instance, web panel 49 is foldably joined to one end of end panel 49 along fold line 63 and is foldably joined to sloping panel Si) along fold line 64. Furthermore, the corner of web panel 59 is cut-away as indicated at 65 so that the web panel also assumes a portion ofthe weight of the adjacent article because it underlies the cap of the article. In similar fashion web panels titl-62 are fold- Cil ably joined to the adjacent end edges of the associated end and sloping panels in a manner which is similar to the arrangement of the web panel 59.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.

I claim:

1. A carrier for packaging a plurality of articles arranged in two rows in side-by-side rectilinear relation and having tapered shoulders and outwardly projecting caps, said carrier comprising a top center panel overlying the caps of the articles, iinger gripping apertures formed in said top center panel, a pair of sloping panels foldably joined to the side edges of said top center panel and disposed adjacent the tapered shoulders of the articles, a plurality of openings formed in said sloping panels and respectively disposed adjacent the caps of the pack.- aged articles, an end panel foldably joined at at least one end of said top center panel along a fold line which is spaced inwardly from an imaginary tangent to the outer edges of the caps of the end articles, the corners of said end panels adjacent said fold line being cutaway by arcuate continuations of the adjacent ones of said openings respectively, said arcuate continuations being effective at least in part to underlie the caps of the adjacent bottles respectively so as to render said end panels effective to support a portion of the weight of the end articles when the carrier is lifted by said apertures.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein the outer edges of said end panels are spaced from the fold lines between said end panels and the end edges of said top center panel by approximately one half the width of the end articles.

3. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein triangular web panels interconnect the ends of said end panels with the adjacent ends of said sloping panels and wherein the corner of each web panel which is adjacent to the cap of the adjacent article is cut-away to form an arcuate edge portion adapted to underlie a part of the cap of the adjacent article.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,801,001 7/1957 Wolowicz 206-65 3,128,010 4/1964 Forrer 220-112 3,257,066 6/1966 Williams 220-112 3,278,075 10/1966 Weiss 220-112 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner.

LOUS G. MANCENE, Examiner. 

